Quick-break switch



K. KNUDSEN.

QUlCK BREAK SWITCH.

APPLICATION FILED AUG.23, 918.

1 09,895 Patented July 15, 1919.

Ma W

OURAP" CD WASHINGTON, D..C

CDLUMBIA PLAN UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

KNUD KNUDSEN, OF PLAINUILLE, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR TO THE TRUMBULLELECTRIC MANUFACTURING COMPANY, OF PLAINVILLE, CONNECTICUT, A

CORPORATION OF CONNECTICUT.

QUICK-BREAK SWITCH.

Specification of Letters Patent. I

Patented July 15, 1919.

Application filed August 23, 1918. Serial No. 251,160.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, KNUD KNUDsEN, a subjectof the King of Denmark, who has signified his intention of becoming acitizen of the United States of America, and has taken out first papersand applied for second, residing at Plainville, Connecticut, haveinvented a new and useful Quick- Break Switch, of which the following isa specification.

The subject of the present invention is a quick break switch and theobjects which I have had in mind have been to provide a simple andreadily attachable means for providing a quick break action between themovable member of the switch and the operating member therefor.

This connection comprises in brief a pair of spaced arms carried by oneof the members and standing in spaced relation at opposite sides of theother member to provide a lost motion positive connection between themembers and a pair of spring arms carried by one of the members disposedbetween the spaced arms and yieldingly engaging the other member atopposite sides thereof. The spaced arms and the spring arms describedare all preferably carried by a single bracket adapted for readyattachment to the sup porting member, which for instance may be thecross arm which connects the movable switch blades.

Various other features of the invention will become apparent as thespecification proceeds.

In the accompanying drawing I have illustrated the invention embodied ina practical commercial form, the form of the invention however, beingsusceptible of various changes without departure from the true spiritand scope of the invention.

In this drawing Figure 1, is a partly sectional view of a form ofdouble-throw switch having the invention applied thereto, the switchbeing shown in the intermediate or neutral position.

Fig. 2, is a similar view with the switch shown in closed-circuitcondition and the operating means shown in the act of shifting themovable switch member to break the circuit. I

Fig. 3, is a detached edge view of the quick break attachment.

The movable switch element is in the illustration designated 5, the samebeing shown as a double-armed switch blade pivoted at 6 and adapted tobe swung in opposite directions into engagement with the contact clips 7and 8,'all of said parts being mounted on a suitable insulating base 9.

The means for operating the switch comprises in the present disclosure,a handle 10 pivoted on a center 11 concentric to the swltch pivot 6 andcarrying a rod 12 bent angularly to form an operating arm 13.

The quick break mechanism as here shown, consists of a bracket having abase portion 14 secured by a screw 15 to the cross bar 16 which connectsthe switch blades and provided with a pair of spaced up-standing arms 17projecting in spaced relation at opposlte sides of the operating arm 13,said bracket furthermore carrying a pair of upstanding spring arms 18disposed between the spaced bracket arms 17 and engaging the operatingarm 13 at opposite sides thereof.

The spring arms 18 in the illustration are formed from separate s ringshaving supporting portions 19 coi ed about the supporting studs or pins20 mounted on the bracket between the arms 17, and anchorage portions 21engaged beneath an ont-standing lug 22 provided on the bracket betweenthe spaced arms thereof. The opposite edges of this anchorage lug Serveas abutments limiting the inward movement of the up standing springarms, as indicated in Fig. 2. The anchorage lug 22 which overstands thebase 14: to a certain extent, may be reduced or cut away at the centralportion as indicated at 23 to provide clearance for the screwdriver infastening the securing screw 15 in place.

In the intermediate or neutral position of the switch, the spring arms18, tensioned against opposite sides of the operating arms 13, serve tohold the movable switch element Substantially centralized with theup-standing arms 17 of the bracket spaced cqui-distant at opposite sidesof the operating arm 13. When the operating arm is shifted in onedirection or the other to throw the switch into engagement with one orthe other set of contact clips, one of the spring arms will yieldaccording as to which direction the switch element is being shifted sothat the operating arm 13 may come in contact with one of the bracketarms 17, thus providing a positive connection between the two mem bers,whereby the movable switch element may be forced firmly into engagementwith the contact clips. When the switch is to be opened, the operatingarm will be swung in the opposite direction, whereupon the spring arm atthe opposite side of the operating arm will yield as illustrated in Fig.2, permitting said arm to engage the opposite arm 17 of the bracketwhereby a positive connection is afforded for opening the switch. As theswitch is drawn open the spring arm which has been placed underincreased ten sion will finally, as the blades are about to leave thecontact clips, overcome the friction between the blades and the clipsand snap the blades quickly out of engagement with the clips, thusproducing a positive quick break movement, the lost motion con nectionpermitting the necessary free movement of the switch blades at thistime.

It will be evident that the device is simple and quite compact in formand further that it is capable of being readily applied to switches inuse at the present time.

I claim 1. In combination with a switch having pivoted switch blades anda cross bar connecting said blades in parallelism, a swinging operatingmember for said switch blades and a quick break connection between saidoperating member and switch blades, comprising a bracket attachable as aunit to the cross bar, said bracket having spaced arms disposed inspaced relation at opposite sides of the swinging operating member and apair of resilient spring arms mounted on the bracket and carriedthereby, said spring arms engaging the swinging operating mem ber atopposite sides thereof;

In combination, a movable switch memher and a movable member foroperatingth same, a pair of spaced arms carried by one of said membersand extending into position at opposite sides of the other member toform a positive lost mot-ion connection between the two members, a pairof resilient spring arms carried by one member and engaging the othermember at opposite sides thereof to provide a yielding connectionbetween the two members, said spring arms both exerting tension on saidlast mentioned member and stop shoulders interposed between the spacedarms for limiting the movement of the spring arms as the member movesaway therefrom.

In combination with a movable switch member, a movable operating memberfor said switch member and a quick break connection between said movableswitch member and operating member, comprising a bracket attachable as aunit to one of said members, said bracket having spaced arms disposed inspaced relation at opposite sides of the other member and a pair ofresilient spring arms mounted on the bracket and carried thereb saidspring arms engaging the other member aforesaid at opposite sidesthereof.

4. -As an article of manufacture, a quick break attachment for switches,comprising a unitary attachable element provided with spacedout-standing arms and spring elements provided with out-standing springarms disposed between the spaced out-standing arms and exerting tensionin reverse directions.

5. In combination, a movable switch member, a movable member foroperating the same, a bracket carried by one of .said members providedwith spaced arms disposed in spaced relation at opposite sides of theother member, supporting pins on said bracket adjacent the spaced arms,spring elements having portions coiled about said supporting pins andspring arms projecting between the spaced arms of the bracket intoengagement with opposite sides of the other member aforesaid, and stopshoulders on the bracket between the upstanding spring arms for limitingthe movement of said arms toward each other.

6. In combination, a movable switch member and a movable member foroperating the same, a bracket mounted on one of said members havingspaced arms disposed in spaced relation at opposite sides of the othermember, a lug on said bracket between the spaced arms and supports atopposite sides of said lug and spring elements having portions coiledabout said supports, anchorage portions engaged beneath the lug andupstanding spring arm port-ions projecting into position at oppositesides of the other member aforesaid.

7. In combination, a movable switchmember and a movable operating memberthere for, a bracket carried by one of said mem' bers having spaced armsdisposed in spaced relation at opposite sides of the other member,upstanding supporting pins on the bracket and a spring engaged on eachof said supports, each spring having a portion coiled about its supportand an upstanding spring arm engageable with one side. of the othermember aforesaid.

8. As an article of manufacture, a quick break attachment for switches,comprising a bracket adapted for attachment to a movable switch elementand provided with spaced out-standing arms and spring elements supportedon said bracket and provided with. out-standing spring arms disposedbetween the 0ut-standing arms of the bracket and exerting tension inreverse directions.

9. As an article of manufacture, a quick break attachment for switches,comprisin a bracket adapted for attachment to a mova 1e switch elementand provided with spaced outstanding arms, supporting pins carried bysaid bracket, spring elements having portions coiled about said pins andout-standing 15 KNUD KNUDSEN.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. 0.

